Wikipages Blog

Last night, I went to the Cinewoman Festival at the Two Boots Pioneer Theater. A combination of independent video store, movie theater, and pizza parlor, Two Boots is a pretty cool place. Located in the Lower East Side (which I love), its name refers to the blending of Italian and Louisiana cuisine. Two Boots! (It took me a while to get it.)

The theater hosts frequent events featuring independent films. At the Cinewoman, we watched two films directed by women which discussed Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge. The first was an awesome short by Rain Breaw about a Cambodian immigrant family, which showed animated flashbacks to horrors of their experiences with the Khmer Rouge. Very interesting stuff. The second was a documentary about Cambodian landmine victims directed by Alison McMahan. Pretty intense, but also very hopeful for the future. Not exactly merry movies, but both very well-done and thought-provoking.

After watching these heavy films, we headed downstairs to “Den of Cin” for the free pizza and beer that comes with the movie ticket. The place lived up to its name, serving a saucy pizza with a cajun spice twist. Delicious! I plan to return for more thought-provoking films in the future. And more pizza.

I was exploring the East Village with a friend from out of town. I love this part of the city. Awesome vintage shops, some great jazz venues, fun bars. After trying on a wide selection of hats at one shop, and purchasing some beautiful vintage threads at another, we decided to look for a place to eat. As my friends know, when I get hungry, it’s not a pretty sight. And I got hungry. So we went to the first place we saw, a tiny place that we had no clue about, but the door was open and there was an empty table.

The place was one simple room, tinted in red. As soon as we entered, the owner approached us with a wide, friendly smile. He was a beautiful black young man who charmingly informed us in a Caribbean accent that we were in a vegan, Haitian restaurant. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. There was no menu, only items listed on a blackboard on the wall. But all the items on the wall seemed delicious. I chose advocado roasted with mushroom mousse inside.

The owner took our orders, with his dashing smile, and introduced us to his partner, his beautiful red-haired American wife. The two of them made such a stunning couple, I kept thinking how gorgeous their children would be. Both in their twenties, they told us that they had started this restaurant a couple years ago and had also started a similar place up in Harlem which had a music venue. The place was BYO, but as we had brought none, the owners offered a bottle that had been unfinished by former customers and we accepted.

The food was amazingly delicious. Unlike anything I have had before or since. Such an amazing combination of advocado and mushroom! We left the restaurant with our appetites sated and a feeling that we had made friends with this fascinating couple.

Unfortunately, we did not leave with the name of the restaurant, nor the address. I have searched for this place since and failed. It is an utter tragedy. Please, if you know this establishment, tell me! And I’ll add it to Wikipages so others can find it.

I’m always on the look out for more great Little Italian Restaurants. Here’s one that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Located on the Upper East Side, The Luca Restaurant is a small place with delicious food. Decorated with rather suprising, large paper vegetable sculptures, this restaurant never bores you. It’s Italian, but with a little kick. One of the best things about this restaurant is the tasty fried olives that they bring out as soon as you sit down. I don’t even like olives usually, but these are insanely good. The menu has a good range of options, including many vegetarian selections like Pumpkin Ravioli and Mushroom Risotto.

When you’ve finished your yummy meal, walk just a couple of blocks over to Cavatappo for an after dinner drink. This wine bar, owned by the same people as the Luca Restaurant, has a cosy brick interior with a wide selection of wines and some munchies. A visit to both places makes for a perfect evening.

I first stumbled on the Steinway Mansion while taking a Sunday stroll through my neighborhood, Astoria. Ben and I wandered into Astoria’s industrial section, among factories, broken glass, and deserted streets. We walked on past a foundry and up a hill, into an almost forested spot.

Then we saw an unkempt, gated yard filled with several old cars of the same model in varying states of decay. We heard a dog barking and peered through the gate. There loomed an immense and beautiful old structure: The Steinway Mansion.

We did some research after this initial encounter. It turns out The Steinway Mansion was built in 1858. The Steinways occupied it for many years and then in the 30’s, presumably when they lost some of their fortune, they sold it to Jack Halberian. He raised his family in the house and his son inherited it after him. We read that tours can be arranged with the owner.

I imagined the owner to be a hermit, someone who hoarded dogs and cars. Someone who wanted solitude in his old, beautiful estate. Someone who buried bodies in his basement.

We came back with some friends, John and Katherine. This time, a man came out of the house. He was an older man and, oddly enough, he looked normal. He greeted us and introduced himself as Michael Halberian, and when we inquired about the mansion, he began to give us some history. How he had grown up there and moved back after his father died. After talking to us through the closed gate for a while, he invited us into the yard.

We walked through the yard to the mansion’s magnificent front. It was beautiful! 28 rooms he said. An Indian statue stands in the yard. He told us that the yard used to front the water until the land had been filled in for industrial uses. After we chatted and played with the dogs a bit, he invited us in for a tour!

We happily followed him inside, gasping at the lavish interior. The whole place was filled with antiques, art, sculptures, a telescope that he said came from JP Morgan. The high entryway showed a magnificent chandelier which could be lowered with a switch. He had a library filled with books on NY, more lovely antiques, and book shelves carved with beautiful angels. The gentlemen’s and ladies’ drawing rooms were equally amazing, with intricate carving on the fireplaces (which occupy every room). He told us how the men would smoke cigars while the women gossiped and then the doors would open to join the two rooms .

He then invited us into his finished basement. The basement included a huge jacuzzi with Greek carved statues alongside it. Adjacent was a beautiful bar room and another room filled with booths, resembling an Italian restaurant. There were also two rooms with billiards tables and books lining the walls. Lastly, was a room with comfortable-looking sofas and a giant movie screen. Contrary to my original image, it appeared that Michael was quite the host, entertaining guests, maybe having wild parties in the past, and now happy to show some nice young folks around.

In the end, we thanked him for his kindness. He informed us that he had recently sold the mansion to a woman who planned to restore it to perfect condition. Hopefully, she will be as gracious a host. I was glad to find out that the mansion constitutes a historic landmark and cannot be destroyed.

When I was little, I always ate peanut butter sandwiches. Not peanut butter and jelly, just peanut butter. It tastes better that way. Many may disagree, but you can eat peanut butter any way you like at Peanut Butter & Co.

Peanut Butter & Co is located in the West Village steps away from Washington Square Park. Its menu contains a variety of peanut butter based dishes, including the Fluffer Nutter (peanut butter and marshmallow) and the Elvis (peanut butter and banana with bacon optional). They also offer a selection of beverages (milk being ideal for accompanying peanut butter) and some non-peanut butter options (grilled cheese and tuna fish, um, separately). All sandwiches are served with potato chips and carrot sticks, to complete that nostalgic after school snack feeling.

We attended a talk given by Lee Zalben, founder of Peanut Butter & Co. A personable guy, Lee told us the story of how he came up with this idea. A long-time peanut butter lover, he ate all sorts of peanut butter combinations during late night study sessions in college. These late night snacks spawned the idea for a shop that served variations of peanut butter. Only a few years out of college, Lee noticed a store front for sale in the West Village and thought it would be the perfect location for this venture. He quit his job, rented the property, and went for it! Their opening was a huge success! A truly inspiring tale of a successful entrepreneur.

Now they’re selling jarred peanut butter of all different yummy flavors in stores all over the country. I personally recommend the Dark Chocolate variety spread over waffles. But no jelly. Peanut butter always tastes best without the jelly.

Yesterday marked one of New York’s most famous annual events, an event of which I will never be a part: the New York City Marathon.

The route goes through each borough, from Staten Island, through Williamsburg, Brooklyn, into Long Island City, Queens, into Harlem, touching the Bronx, and finally finishing in Central Park. A good way to tour the city, I suppose. Though watching the faces of those running, I’m not sure they were really able to take in the sights.

I went to watch for the first time, having two good friends running the race. We watched from the Queensboro bridge and from mile 24 in Central Park. The runners ranged from fit 25-year-olds to 80-year-olds. Some people were on wheel-chairs, wheeling alongside the runners. I saw a couple running together, the woman nearly sobbing from exhaustion or pain, and her partner helping her, holding her hand, urging her on. The site of all these people, of all capabilities and types, taking this major challenge together really did bring tears to my eys.

Supporters crowded the sidelines, some family members, some just come to watch. Some folks joined friends or family in the race, running alongside them for several miles. Some runners stopped to give their spouses kisses, their child a squeeze, or their dog a pat.

My friend’s headphones had unfortunately gone missing that morning, unbeknownst to me. So when he ran by me, as I loudly cheered for him, he said, “Do you have headphones?” I, confused, said no. He responded, “You’re dead to me!” and continued running. I knew that if he was able to joke and deride others, he must be holding up well.

Many runners had their names written on their shirts and, knowing how much the cheering helps them, I screamed for everyone whose name I could pronounce. My voice was sore at the end of the race. And my feet were a bit tired from standing for so long. I felt a surge of pride for my friends, alongside a reaffirmation of the knowledge that I will never do what they did.

Despite having lived in New York for three years, I have never seen the Halloween Parade. Until last night.

I went with Ben and a couple of friends who dressed up as V (for Venedetta, not from the 80’s mini series about aliens, which was my first thought when he told me) and a wench. I had planned to dress up as Alice in Wonderland and dress Ben up as the Chesire Cat, but due to his lack of enthuasiam and my lack of costume elements, we didn’t really dress up. I wore cat ears and Ben wore a glittery bowa.

The parade always starts in the West Village and goes up to 23rd street. The crowds were every bit as dense as I imagined. Packed with people, mostly in costume, all come to see the parade. I decided next year, I will definitley wear a good costume and definitely walk in the parade. It would be a lot easier to get around! Plus, it just looks like fun.

The parade marchers ranged from people in typical, store-bought costumes to hand-made original costumes (my favorite being Beaker from the Muppets) to giant floats filled with costumed dancers, sponsored by bars or the Voice.

Definitely an interesting show. I’m going to start planning a real costume for next Halloween. Look out for me in next year’s parade!